Telling the story of dark deeds in an Italian monastery, Umberto Eco’s novel weaves elements of history, theology and philosophy into a vivid picture of life in fourteenth-century Europe. The tale is told by an elderly monk looking back on the great adventure of his youth, but its star is undoubtedly his master, William of Baskerville, an English Franciscan who solves the mystery. In the tradition of Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown, The Name of the Rose recreates the classic English detective story in a dazzling new setting. The Name of the Rose was made into a film in 1986, starring Sean Connery as Brother William.
